Subcon Laser and Donovan & Siegel have teamed up to bring a garden of letters to life in Edinburgh. Commissioned by Edinburgh Printmakers, The Rust Garden was conceived of and designed by Donovan and Siegel to transform a neglected area in Edinburgh into a space for reflection and interaction and features a pathway made of tiny rusted steel letters made specially by our team at Subcon Laser.
Thomas Flanagan, speaking on behalf of Edinburgh Printmakers, said, the garden has been a hit with members of the local community. Passers-by have used the letters to fashion words, phrases even short poems and have left their creations behind for others to discover. With its range of newly-installed flowering flora, the site has really sprung into life and this sense of renewal has been mirrored by the people of Fountainbridge and beyond, who continue to update and refresh the garden with their messages.
One of the main purposes of the garden is to give locals a chance to interact with a space that has been derelict for some time. The main idea for the Rust Garden was to create a path made up of tiny rusted steel letters that visitors can play with, walk over and even put in their pocket to take home. It is this idea of being at risk that fascinated Judith as it shows how an area can change and gives the sense of the rise and fall of industry in the area.